Nick Centera (00:00)
which brands stick out and what are they doing?
Tom Weirich (00:03)
I know we're in an industry that keeps on evolving, right? And I think everyone is trying to differentiate themselves in the industry.
If you don't foster that trait, that foster that feeling with a community, you've lost them since day one.
And I think more and more, we need to get a little more sophisticated in how we engage the public.
Nick Centera (00:19)
how can we leverage that story as a brand and as an industry?
Tom Weirich (00:23)
Well, that could be an old episode itself, right?
Nick Centera (00:40)
Hey, and welcome to this episode of Renewable Energy Storytellers. I'm excited to have everyone here. My name is Nick Centera and I'm really excited to bring on today's guest, Tom Weirich. Tom is the head of marketing at EDP Renewables North America. Tom's background is honestly incredible. Tom's been working in the industry for 20 years, facilitating collaboration connection. He's been a part of teams that have closed nearly 250 renewable energy transactions, which is
valued at $66 billion, which is again, mind blowing. He's worked in investment banking and on the policy side of ACORE He's even served the Obama administration twice. And on top of all that, he's an award winning author of a book called We Took the Risk, Tom.
Tom Weirich (01:22)
Welcome. Great. Thanks so much for having me Nick here. Really excited and really excited to have this really good conversation with you today.
Nick Centera (01:29)
Today, we're going to talk about how do you get your audience to care when you're working in a commodity environment. So many companies that are operating in today are in this commodity environment and they're all really trying to stand out and make themselves look unique, but they're all putting their own slight twist on the same product. To you, which brands stick out and what are they doing? What are those brands doing that have kind of established themselves amongst this commodity environment that we're living and working in?
Tom Weirich (01:58)
Yeah,
I know we're in an industry that keeps on evolving, right? And I think everyone is trying to differentiate themselves in the industry.
And there are two companies that come to mind automatically that have really stood out, I would say, in how they differentiate their offering to market, right? One of them in the solar sector is NextTracker. As many of you know, NextTracker provides solar racking. It's one of the smartest and newest technologies behind racking technologies behind the solar revolution globally.
And what I absolutely love about them is everything from their brand to the way they market to the customer, right? They have the B2B supply chain mapped out. They know exactly how to tailor their messaging to their certain markets. And as they've scaled up, they've actually taken us on a journey with them, right? If you look at their LinkedIn, if you look at the way they market emails, right? Their email marketing, their campaigns on Twitter.
You are basically joining them on the journey as they grow, as they go into new markets, they're learning what they're discovering and they're learning also how to really reinvigorate the US market through the support of the steel industry. So what's really interesting about Next Tracker is they've really tacked on to their success being tied to the success of domestic manufacturing of steel. And they've really done a fantastic job of really owning that message and owning all the visibility opportunities around that. So if you've seen
Any kind of new announcement around steel companies these days somehow involves next tracker, at least for those of us in renewable energy, right? You see that connection and you know, the lead of marketing there, Christian Kirst has done a fantastic job. Whenever you see a ribbon cutting, right? Making sure you have the union workers there, making sure that you have the whole steel supply chain really rooting for this and rooting for success. So I'd say next tracker was brilliant, not only from how they've staged and how they've implemented the marketing strategy, but how they've tied that messaging to.
support of domestic manufacturing, especially in the steel sector. I mean, kudos to them. The other brand that really stands out to me for a number of reasons, there's actually two other brands. One is Apex Clean Energy, right? Developer in the United States, founded by a gentleman named Sandy Reiske and a number of other folks who are involved. It's a developer based out of Charlottesville, Virginia. They really have made a name for themselves in how they engage communities. And I think more and more these days when you're thinking about marketing,
Yes, as a marketer, I'm thinking about B2B thinking about partners like developers and EPCs we're working with. Right. But you also have to think about the communities, right? there's an old adage that a colleague of mine once told me, one of our developers in the round, you know, if you do not involve the local community in the development of a project from the, from the first day and you don't have them feel a sense of ownership and a feel of, Hey, our success is tied to the success of this project being developed.
If you don't foster that trait, that foster that feeling with a community, you've lost them since day one.
So I think more and more we have to get more engaged with communities. And a part of, would say, Apex Clean Energy's work has been tied to winning community favor and also offering up this partnership with communities, right? And being sincere about it and really focusing in on not only how does economics around the project work, but also how do we provide opportunities for STEM education?
for local schools, for example, to get involved. How do you also tie it to local landowners and agricultural owners, right, that are looking at renewables as a drought-free crop, right, that they can grow? So I would say Apex, from a community relations perspective, has done a fantastic job. And as a result of that work, know, many folks have been attracted, right, to what they offer to market from a PPA perspective, right, in developing these projects.
The last brand, I think that really comes up for me. I'm a big fan of focusing on the people behind the technologies, right? We go to market, right? Offering a product in the case of EDPR, right? We're offering 21st century projects, right? Solar wind storage projects. What everyone needs to follow is what Nexamp has done, which is really selling the people behind the projects and what they do really well there is veterans and how the involvement of veterans helps to
really reinforce the missions of developers and also bring home high quality, made in America, homegrown, clean energy. And so again, Nextamp, what they've done really fantastically in their marketing is really featuring the people and putting the people front up on every single colleague, every single employee, most notably their veterans that they've employed throughout the US. again, tip of the iceberg kind of stuff here, marketing, you can go in a number of ways of strategy, but I'd say,
To recap, NextSamp, great job with veterans and putting them forward. Apex, great job in terms of public affairs around communities and involving communities in their story. And then back to NextTracker, and they're involved in the seal industry, and really tying their messaging, their success to the messaging and success of the US Steel manufacturing sector.
Nick Centera (07:04)
I think stepping back, just thinking about Next Tracker, when I heard that they are building some of their facilities in the World War II U-boat areas, what an amazing all-American story built into that. On top of the fact that they're supplying US projects, just having that core piece of your story, mean, who doesn't want to go to work every day knowing that they're a part of history in where they're working and they're also contributing to history?
Tom Weirich (07:34)
as well. Talk about history, the number one photograph that was circulated right when the IRA got passed was the photograph of the ribbon cutting of a new steel manufacturing facility with Secretary Granholm. It was the next tracker ribbon cutting right in Pittsburgh with all the Pittsburgh steelworkers behind them. That was the one photograph. And I was very fortunate that our CEO at EPR, Sonia Ganapathy, was there also as part of the photograph.
That photograph, let me tell you, circulated everywhere and was probably the best form of advertising, I think, for the success that IRA and what the IRA's promise was to the industry. What a moment of history when you think about renewables being a critical part of the narrative now for the steel industry, right? And the steel industry now proudly pointing to renewables going, actually, this is helping us revitalize a lot of areas where people are moving away, right? The Rust Belt. And now instead they're turning the story around.
and bring jobs back and opening up facilities that have been closed for decades.
Nick Centera (08:35)
Something that comes to mind and we've discussed is from each of the examples, it's not just for their company, their brand, right? They're also working with stakeholders and partners. And Apex is a simple example where they've got to work with the community and try to get them on board, but they can bring all these stories that their partners have to this story. It's not just what is Apex doing and how are they effective, but what's your perspective on that?
a partner story or as a brand building story so your partners can leverage that.
Tom Weirich (09:09)
100%. And I think this is what makes what I love about the renewable energy industry is no matter if you're a competitor or not, we're all making strides and we all can leverage each other's message average and leverage each other's success, especially in the community level, right? As we all know, these days, hats off to anyone working community relations. It's not easy. All it takes is one developer to mess something up. And then anyone working in renewables is branded as this evil group, right? That's that's done something wrong in our community, right? So
It's vitally important for us, think, to develop messaging and stories and narratives that can be adopted by others. It's this whole concept of a rising tide raises all boats. So I would say, for example, here at EPR, we work very close to the next tracker. And every time there's a great success with steel industry, we ourselves by supporting next tracker with our purchase orders, right. But de facto are able to tap into that store angle. And while actually we here at EPR are supporting the steel industry.
by purchasing directly from X-Tractor that purchases from the steel industry, right? So that support through procurement is something that can be leveraged as we ourselves say, listen, we're growing out two to three gigawatts a year of new assets. And we're proud to say that majority of that is being procured and assembled here in the United States, which is really something we're proud of, right? So I would say more and more, and you guys face this Nick in your day-to-day job at Q-Sales, right? Domestic manufacturing and domestic content is a vital.
part of the story of the narrative of where we as an industry go for the next five, 10 years. And so any opportunity we have to leverage that story and incorporate that into our narrative from a marketer's perspective is just a win for us all. you know, I think everyone should be challenged in this industry to figure out what is their niche of where they can add more positive narrative with whatever stakeholder group they work with, be it steelworkers, be it farmers, right? And in the Midwest.
down to even fishermen, right? When we talk about offshore wind and the opportunities to be better environmental stewards in our oceans off the coast, right? So there's many stakeholders there where if everyone did their part, I think to bolster such a story, we could all leverage and benefit.
Nick Centera (11:19)
Let's talk about pride for a minute. Something you had said to me when we were kind of talking ahead of this was, and you mentioned earlier with what Apex is doing, but you had said the minute a community cannot see its future in an energy project, you've lost them. We've kind of talked about like, how can we humanize these projects? How do we move beyond just, hey, this project is gonna bring you tax benefits, it's gonna bring you jobs, know, leveraging all of what we said. How can companies, not just marketers, but anybody who's communicating on behalf of project.
leverage this and make a community prideful of you coming into town and not just yourself.
Tom Weirich (11:51)
Yeah, I, you know, listen, I think there's a lot of new mechanisms out there that help achieve that. I'm a big fan of this new movement called environmental justice, right? Or climate justice, right? And tying that to projects. We're seeing a lot of PPAs now being structured with environmental justice components, right? That, aid in a local, local economy score through workforce development, right? So it's not only just about the dollars anymore. I think that's what developers are realizing. You can throw tax dollar stats out there. You can talk about.
payments to landowners, which is good, right? But you need more. And I think the communities are trying to figure out, how do we, as I mentioned before, how do we get our ownership and also derive direct benefit from this clean energy project being built down the street, right? So that's where, from an environmental justice perspective, that's where you work on, for example, structuring a climate or a community impact fund, right?
that can then disperse funds to help with weatherization efforts around that community, right? Or workforce development. There's a great organization, a great nonprofit that Volt Energy Utility CEO Gilbert Campbell started up called Sharing the Power Foundation, which is purely focused on workforce development amongst underrepresented communities in the U.S. who have not traditionally accessed benefits of renewable. So how do we get that workforce training going? How do we help benefit weatherization and other
energy poverty alleviating programs in those communities that are housing our projects. And lastly, how do we measure those things? How do we measure the impact renewables is having in those communities that then derives, I would say, that sense of, we're delivering on what we're promising here. I would say at the end of the day, it's all about environmental justice. It is about this compact that we're creating with these communities.
and really building that narrative around that.
Nick Centera (13:46)
so much of what we talked about. It's great. It's awesome. We know there's a feel good story behind so much of it, but selling it internally, selling upwards, and you go for an approval process and you go, want to spend X amount of dollars on this goal of influencing, you know, hearts and minds. But there's a goal there, but there's not a necessarily, it's going to happen kind of thing. How do you get leadership and people to see that vision and get behind it?
So that way they'll support it for you.
Tom Weirich (14:17)
Well, listen, I think you start with the very basic attitude and approach that, listen, when we develop as a developer, right? You develop a project, you're there for 25, 30, maybe more years as our technologies get more more mature. So you have to be a good neighbor. It's not that you develop this project and many developers are moving away from just developing the project, flipping it and exiting. We need more and more developers to stay there 25, 30, 40 years. And you need to keep on investing in the community.
You know, it's great as a marketer to at the beginning of the relationship with the community, say, hey, we're investing in X amount of construction job creations, right? Or investing X amount in repairing roads and things like that. You also have to continue that investment in the community. And you have to continue in the narrative with the community, right? And your approach with the community. And that takes time. And
You also hopefully will have an opportunity to build and develop more projects in that community. Right. So you want to open that door and you want to show that you are being that good neighbor, that that good steward for the community. and so this fly by night mentality, unfortunately will not win you any favors, you know? So, I would say when you're pitching internally, it's all about, we're being good neighbor here. It's continued investment. And number two, if you are trying to build more facilities, more projects around
You want to also have a good visibility and brand in that region because neighbors and communities talk to each other. So no matter where you are in that state, if you've not done a great job with the community, they will follow you to whatever town hall you're in or wherever meeting you're in in that state. The argument is, listen, you have to think not only at a community level, at a state level, at a regional level, and you need to have marketing that accompanies that. Marketing that's tied critically to community relations, right?
which is a whole other discipline, but at same time linked also to government relations, right? And that's where marketing, think many people lump marketing, comms, PR all together. Marketing is a very different discipline. Marketing is tied directly to business pipeline development. I mean, that's kind of my way of differentiating it from traditional comms, right? We're not writing just press releases. not, you know, just doing communications here and there, email, canes, whatever. We're actually trying to solve problems and create solutions for
our stakeholders, be they are B2B customers, be they, you know, our community leaders on the ground, right? Be they government politicians and other leaders, right? They're trying to get wins for their, for their communities and for their states, right? So marketing at the end of the day, I think is that key facilitator. It's that glue that holds everybody together. Yes, I'm biased. Uh, it sounds like I'm making it the center of the world, but it's there to function, to serve all these different other disciplines within, within a company, right?
Nick Centera (16:59)
I think one of the other unique pieces, and I think a lot of industries somewhat get this, but what one company does influences the other. To your point earlier, when one of us invests in the community, we collectively benefit from that story. You can point to that and then the opposite, right, of when you don't or when a developer doesn't build that relationship. As you said earlier, it impacts what other developers end up doing.
Tom Weirich (17:27)
Listen, we're all interconnected. my viewpoint on competitors or whatever in the industry is, listen, yeah, one day we're competing against each other for an RFP bid, right? But the next day we might be selling projects to each other, right? There is that M &A functionality of the relationship, right? That transactional side of the relationship. Also, as you know, teams buy each other out. You know, I have situations where, for example, Madison Energy Investments out of New York recently bought out Sun Tribe down in Virginia, right? A local DG related to
DG focused developers. you know, you have situations where we do need to work together. I think that's why forums provided by our trade associations like ACP and SIA and others really do help bring us all together. But at the end of the day, it is about that interconnection that we need to play up. And when you think about the amount of money, the traditional energy, you know, oil and gas industry as a united faction is putting into campaigns out there in the market to create
confusion in the market right about what an energy transition looks like, right? We need to take a lesson from that. They're gathering together, they're gathering their marketing dollars together, their messaging comms dollars together, and implementing really strategic unified messaging on what an energy transition looks like that includes significant amounts of fossil fuels in the future, right? It's like playing tennis, you play tennis against someone who's better than you, right? And you learn from them when you play a match.
Same thing, we need to, I think, pick up and put some serious dollars into marketing and to messaging out there and be that united front. Because if we don't, we're just never going to win, I would say, the hearts and minds of Americans across the country.
Nick Centera (19:09)
I've been looking for stats on what the oil and gas industry invests each year on marketing and comms, just to kind of give a data point for people to reference, because I'm sure that that number is the GDP of a small nation.
Tom Weirich (19:25)
API for decades has been advertising from the oil and gas industry. API is the American Petroleum Institute, the National Trade Association for Oil and Gas. It's mind boggling. I remember even 10 years ago looking at their advertising budget going, my God, what would I do with all that money? It's really incredible. And I think more and more, we need to get a little more sophisticated in how we engage the public.
Listen, at the end of the day, we're getting the supply chain
down pat, right, which is great after COVID. Financing is not necessarily a big issue. We might have an interest rate that's coming down, which helps all of us, right, in developing projects. So all the stars are aligning. The one that's still not aligning perfectly, and that's causing us problems everywhere, are engaging communities across the country, right, and having them adopt and have an open arm approach to renewables, right? Some communities get it, 100%. Others don't. So I think
That's where we need to invest our dollars. And I think that's where all of us, no matter where you are in the supply chain, we all survive based on how much steel gets put into the ground and how many gigawatts are dispatched, right? At the end of the day, we all survive because of that. So I think a more integrated approach to that across the supply chain focused on communities is the win-win for all of us.
Nick Centera (20:44)
Something that comes to mind as we talk about some of these different moments around the industry is how can we be more innovative as an industry? And more importantly, how can we leverage that story as a brand and as an industry? if we haven't been leveraging that story, I guess what does that cost us to date and how can we benefit from that in the future?
Tom Weirich (21:07)
Definitely. Well, that could be an old episode itself, right? I'm a big believer of innovation can be found everywhere,
no matter what your discipline is within a renewable energy company, right? Obviously, when you mentioned innovation, we automatically think about technology innovation, right? And our industry is only built on the next better iteration of the technology, right? You know, when I joined renewables, now I sound old, right? 20 years ago, I remember we're talking about 1.5 megawatt.
Gimesa turbines. And we're like, oh my God, those are gigantic. Now you have like 12, you know, you have gigantic offshore wind turbines, right? GE I think is one of the largest ones now at the market and think how's the power thousands of houses. Right. So innovation obviously is important. And also supportive entrepreneurs and startups. Right. We have as an industry has built on the shoulders of so many amazing entrepreneurs who have designed technologies that have kept on us going. Right.
We mentioned next tracker before Dan sugar, just the brilliance, right? And design these racking systems, tracking the sun more efficiently, right? It's just a fantastic battery storage and hydrogen, right? Hydrogen five years ago, I would have been like, okay, I might know some hydrogen power card is but now to see how the evolution of that conversation at Iraq and electrolysis technology has has expedited and speed. just fascinating to see it.
but also innovation in how we market, right? Innovation in how we're reaching out, how we're being smart, not only with messaging and testing and messaging, but how are we being much more, I would say, attuned to answering the challenges with solutions that our customers have, and being a lot more smarter about it. Also, I think, know, from an innovation perspective, talk about an industry where there's never a dull moment. Like, you can talk about innovation.
from every kind of corner, every kind of cut here in the renewable energy industry. For example, recycling. Listen, as an industry claiming to be sustainable, we have to be honest, we weren't. We had really, I think, focused on developing projects, but not thinking about what happens when we have to repower these projects. What happens when these projects life cycles end? How do we keep our commitments of sustainability, right? And so just the innovation shown by over 28, I think there's 28, 29 recyclers.
solely in the North America, who are recycling everything from the magnets and wind blades down to the framing, the aluminum framing of solar panels. It's just fascinating to see the innovation there and how these entrepreneurs saw an opportunity. I feel that the story of innovation isn't over. Recycling is one aspect of it. Like I talked about in terms of finance, innovation and finance, structuring and environmental justice clauses into PPA negotiations.
That's a form of innovation rights. Innovation can be found in many ways and renewables. And I don't think we should just limit ourselves to focusing on technology innovation, right? It's basically innovation raising the bar in whatever aspect of a renewables transaction or the development of a renewables assets, right? So I think the challenge is let's figure out more ways to be innovative and really monopolize that and create a narrative that, listen, the best is yet to come. And for all these new workers coming in, all of our new colleagues coming in this next generation,
We're waiting for you to help raise the bar and take the risk. I should mention that and take the risk, right?
Nick Centera (24:32)
I mean, in full connection with the book, this industry began not with maybe a bet, but it started as an idea that was probably risky to so many. And as it's progressed, I mean, we keep making these amazing bets of investments on the U S and on building strong, a strong industry. And you can see that it's paying off and it's continuing to pay off.
Tom Weirich (24:54)
And Nick, honestly, I think the pot of gold or the most invaluable part of the renewable energy industry is the community. You know, that's the one thing I learned when I researched for the book, right? I interviewed over a hundred CEOs. And in those early days, as in also today, right? It's still happening today. Everyone is, it's like one degree of separation. Everyone's somehow is connected. People are funding each other. People are approving each other and signing permitting sessions, right? People were
helping each other with technology procurement. It was a community that helped each other and constantly kept on bumping into each other. And the beauty is they kept together and they kept supporting and investing in each other's efforts. And I feel that's something we as the next generations of renewable energy professionals and executives, we need to keep that trend going. And I think it beautifully loops back into the interconnectivity. We're all interconnected here. I would love for us as an industry and also to market this narrative, right?
that we're interconnected, we're one community, we're strong and unified. And we're going to keep on supporting each other as we develop this, the next sets of gigawatts, right, here in North America and globally. And I think that's, that's an important message. think that from a, if we had to talk about internal communications, right, that's a really important internal comms message that all of us should be enacting within our companies. And, and as marketers supporting also external.
Nick Centera (26:15)
Yeah, think the internal communications piece is in itself a very important piece. The things that marketing is working on or different groups are working on doesn't always trickle down to people who are disconnected. And what is the cost of that when your employees, especially in Arnche, the people, men and women who are out on the construction site working at 115 degree, 120 heat, they're making, mean, everyone's making it happen. But if they don't know that results, that amazing story that comes from it,
It just misses a mark at the minimum, right?
Tom Weirich (26:49)
100%. And I, you know, I, feel like, you know, and this is no fault of anybody. mean, internal comms is not an easy feat, right? We focus so much on the people in the offices. It is about people out in the site. We're making it happen. It's the thousands of, you know, hundreds of thousands of construction workers that every day go out there to build our projects. mean, those are the people we should be featuring. Those are the folks that are making it happen. And I feel that we need to.
make that part of the workforce a much more integral part of the message of the narrative, right?
Nick Centera (27:19)
Up to this point, we've been discussing corporate branding and how brands need to think about themselves. And what about the individual? You know, I heard this story, or I think I've even seen the picture of a coal miner came from work, went to a basketball game, didn't have time to even get cleaned up. They just went to the game. Their face was all dirty and sat down and it was a huge engagement for when I remember. And then what question wasn't whether or not we should be supporting the coal industry there was.
Look at this as a dad, he works super hard all day, probably 12 hour shits and he came in like, what a, what a win for that industry. So using that story, mean, thinking about your book, We Took the Risk, you feature leading risk takers and renewable energy. What have you seen going from the corporate brand to the personal brand? know, how, are these people being successful and, and, and what stories are they telling? And, and, and how can, how can we be successful on our personal level?
Tom Weirich (28:18)
It's about the people, you know, the people who represent that industry. And, you know, here at EDPRI, and I say this to all the time to also interns in my previous jobs, you all are ambassadors for renewables. Every single one of us that goes into the office every day to work in renewable energy, you all are ambassadors. You all represent us in one way, or form. Right. And, you know, it kind of ties into when I was writing the book, right. And I was focusing on CEOs who are visionaries.
You know, a big part of what runs renewables is, these visionary leaders, right? And it's us behind the visionary leaders that actually make you make it happen. Right. The visionary leaders are there to give their vision, give a realistic outlook on numbers and where we can go with renewables. And then we're there to enact that vision, right. And to meet those goals and challenges. And I think it's that message where we in the public.
just like that coal worker going to his son's basketball game, you know, all dirtied up and saying, hey, I just came from hard days of work or worth of work, but hey, by me working in coal, it's enabling me to enjoy family time and being out there and supporting my local economy. We can have the same narrative. I mean, that's the beauty of it. We have the same narrative. We have visionary leaders, we have entrepreneurs, but then even down to day-to-day people going to the office, Nick, like you and me, we have a story to tell.
And I think that's one of my biggest messages through my book, as well as in my personal life, as well as as a marketer is we all have a story to tell and it's all worthwhile to hear. That's the one thing I wish we could do more of is just give me more of those personal narratives of how renewables has changed me, not only as a, as a, as a professional, but also as a person. have technicians, for example, who are kids who saw our project being built. And today they're actually operating the
I think those stories are just so heartfelt and they love it. They're like, you know, this inspired me to follow a STEM career, follow a renewable energy career. We need more of those stories out there. And again, those are stories that no matter if you're working at Shell or you're at Orsted or Qcells or EPR or you're at Apex or wherever you are at, that's a story that we can all hang on to and leverage. I think ultimately what's fantastic for us in the renewables industry is that
we have the privilege and opportunity to marry our skill sets to passion. And that's a passion we don't leave behind in the office when we go home. It's a passion that carries on as a thread throughout our entire lives, into our personal lives. thinking back to those technicians that grew up with those projects, those are folks we really want others to aspire to be. We have a great opportunity, a great narrative as marketers to push those stories out there and hopefully inspire the next generation of.
of Americans and the next generation of workers we actually need. I mean, this is an initiative that's only going to keep on growing. So as a marketer, know, one thing that I'm really proud of is that we're aiding in the growth of workforce here in the U.S., right? And demonstrating through our narratives, through our stories that it is possible. We are an industry that's open for business and open for anyone from all backgrounds, right? No matter where you're from to come in and really enrich the next generation of this industry.
Nick Centera (31:34)
What an incredible story that you've shared. mean, your journey alone is amazing as I was looking at your biography. mean, just amazing. And what the great piece is, that you're not alone. You're not the exception. There's so many people that have not only just advocated and tried to develop a project, but they've advocated on the policy level and the community level. So many people are part of that. And I think the fact that so many people are part of this community has such an amazing effect.
But you alone, Tom, mean, just amazing. And I'm so thankful that you joined me today on the show.
Tom Weirich (32:08)
Well, Nick, listen, I wouldn't be here if people in front of me didn't help me and reached out to help me. Right. And I had many mentors and, know, my big message to all of us is listen, pay forward. We all got here because of, you know, staying on the on the shoulders of giants. Right. And sitting on also shoulders of people day to day folks who helped us through mentorship, throughout helping us, you know, at the office day to day. We're all very lucky to be in an industry of people who really want to help each other. So I think
you know, kudos to everybody. and, thanks again for having me here and, and for this opportunity just to talk about all the great things that are happening in this industry. It's really exciting and, also humbling at the same time.
Nick Centera (32:49)
Absolutely. think you couldn't have put a better we've been talking to Tom Weirich. He's the head of marketing at ADP renewables North America. So I mean, know they can they can people who wants to follow up with you more they can go to we took the risk calm and probably linkedin with anywhere else so they can track
Tom Weirich (33:05)
Listen, Amazon, the book is on the books everywhere. So it's on Amazon. You know, I also do support local bookstores. So any local bookstore will carry the book. They can order it for you as always. Just look forward to engaging with you. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn. Really. I'm here to help. And like I said, hopefully the message for everybody out there is just pay it forward. And I look forward to, you know, bumping into you all somewhere, somewhere out there on the conference circuit this year. It's going to be a busy one.
Nick Centera (33:34)
Thanks so much, Tom, I appreciate it.
Tom Weirich (33:36)
Great, thanks so much, Nick.
